CDT Testing - Scientist Jean Deenmamod

  Tribe Sober - Your guide to alcohol-free living! After running Tribe Sober for 5 years and helping hundreds of people to ditch the drink and embrace alcohol-free living I've learned a thing or two.  My biggest insight has been that sharing our stories around alcohol is the most powerful way we can help others - that's why the heart of this podcast is recovery stories. However in this brand new series we are also interviewing some experts - we've got a doctor, a psychiatrist, a professor, a journalist - and this week we kick off the series by interviewing Mauritian scientist Jean Deenmamode about the CDT test.    In this Episode Jean takes us through his career development and explains how he first came across CDT testing back in 2008. He explained how the traditional "liver function" that many of us rely on is just not a reliable indicator of whether or not alcohol is harming our health. Alcohol harms many other parts of our bodies so there is no reason to focus only on the liver - for example it is linked to 7 different types of cancer The CDT test is a simple blood test that will show elevated markers if a person has been regularly drinking half a bottle of wine or more  These elevated markers are a clear indication that alcohol is taking its toll on the body and that a change needs to be made It's not a test that puts people in a box and calls them an "alcoholic - it's a lifestyle assessment that can prompt them to change their drinking habits Seeing the results in black and white (as a number) can make all the difference - and often shocks people into taking action If people do a CDT test they get an early warning and may be able to adjust their consumption, rather than having to stop drinking completely. If you drink within the low risk limits of one and a half of bottles a week you are unlikely to be harming your health. When a patient presents with anxiety/depression a doctor can do a CDT test to open the conversation about the patients drinking habits Alcohol increases anxiety and when people give up drinking their anxiety will often lift The test is inexpensive (30 Euros, R600) and can be arranged by your Doctor Tribe Sober members can contact Dr Judy who will arrange for the test If you are unable to source the test then you can contact Jean Deenmamode directly on +44(0)7917026152 or [email protected] More info Subscription membership a month - you can join up HERE To access our website click HERE Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.  Read more about our 8-step program and subscribe HERE.    Help us to spread the word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can join our private Facebook group HERE Thank you for listening!  Till Next Week Janet x